Cost of Living Comparison Between Smolyan and Tbilisi Cost of Living Comparison Between Smolyan and Tbilisi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $736 in Smolyan versus $1,247 in Tbilisi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,181 in Smolyan versus $2,025 in Tbilisi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,625 in Smolyan versus $2,803 in Tbilisi.

Living in Smolyan costs roughly 41% less than in Tbilisi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Smolyan 46% lower, Tbilisi 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.45 BGN 10.73

$11.33 ₾29.44

-43.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.80 BGN 64.6

$38.71 ₾101

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.77 BGN 9.59

$9.52 ₾24.72

-39.39%

Cappuccino

$1.36 BGN 2.26

$3.41 ₾8.85

-60.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 BGN 1.79

$1.04 ₾2.71

2.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 BGN 1.27

$0.64 ₾1.66

18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.75 BGN 2.92

$2.61 ₾6.79

-32.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 BGN 3.72

$3.24 ₾8.43

-30.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 BGN 2.80

$2.17 ₾5.65

-22.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 BGN 1.60

$0.74 ₾1.92

29.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 BGN 2.98

$1.71 ₾4.45

4.68%

Eggs

$3.39 BGN 5.64

$2.83 ₾7.36

19.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 BGN 15.13

$9.22 ₾23.94

-1.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.84 BGN 9.72

$6.76 ₾17.55

-13.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.77 BGN 14.60

$12.77 ₾33.16

-31.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.17 BGN 1.94

$1.64 ₾4.26

-28.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.82 BGN 3.03

$1.77 ₾4.60

2.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.21 BGN 2.02

$1.87 ₾4.85

-35.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.42 BGN 4.03

$2.44 ₾6.34

-0.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 BGN 1.98

$0.87 ₾2.25

36.78%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 BGN 2.34

$0.65 ₾1.70

115.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.96 BGN 1.60

$1.40 ₾3.63

-31.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 BGN 1.01

$0.74 ₾1.93

-17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 BGN 5.82

$3.41 ₾8.86

2.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.76 BGN 9.58

$7.60 ₾19.75

-24.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 BGN 0.96

$1.70 ₾4.41

-65.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.76 BGN 2.93

$2.38 ₾6.19

-26.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 BGN 1.59

$0.36 ₾0.94

163.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.79 BGN 56.2

$15.24 ₾39.59

121.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 BGN 2.27

$1.18 ₾3.07

15.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 BGN 1.00

$0.76 ₾1.97

-21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$12.24 BGN 20.36

$11.34 ₾29.46

7.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 BGN 2.63

$1.33 ₾3.46

18.80%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.5K BGN 39.1K

$24.7K ₾64.2K

-4.94%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$23.2K BGN 38.5K

$22.0K ₾57.2K

5.17%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$108 BGN 180

$88.9 ₾231

21.61%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.20 BGN 25.29

$13.33 ₾34.62

14.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.59 BGN 15.96

$20.12 ₾52.3

-52.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.33 BGN 37.15

$68.7 ₾178

-67.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.52 BGN 29.15

$18.09 ₾46.99

-3.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 BGN 13.06

$6.72 ₾17.45

16.82%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$233 BGN 388

$374 ₾970

-37.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,090 BGN 10.1K

$10.7K ₾27.8K

-43.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.68 BGN 49.37

$101 ₾263

-70.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.28 BGN 37.06

$39.33 ₾102

-43.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.7 BGN 104

$118 ₾305

-46.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$65.1 BGN 108

$122 ₾318

-46.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 BGN 337

$682 ₾1,772

-70.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 BGN 245

$456 ₾1,186

-67.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$292 BGN 485

$1,303 ₾3,384

-77.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 BGN 421

$899 ₾2,336

-71.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,376 BGN 2,290

$2,449 ₾6,363

-43.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,108 BGN 1,843

$1,452 ₾3,773

-23.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$720 BGN 1,198

$652 ₾1,694

10.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

12.62

-74.25%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Smolyan: September 15, 2026

Last update for Tbilisi: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $203 in Smolyan and $682 in Tbilisi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Smolyan pays 10% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Smolyan vs $39.00 in Tbilisi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $232 per month, with Smolyan cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Smolyan vs Tbilisi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Smolyan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Smolyan, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $203 in Smolyan versus $682 in Tbilisi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $233 in Smolyan versus $374 in Tbilisi. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Tbilisi. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $736 in Smolyan versus $1,247 in Tbilisi, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Smolyan but tight or insufficient in Tbilisi. The gap between the two cities makes Smolyan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Smolyan is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Tbilisi, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Smolyan and Tbilisi are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Smolyan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Tbilisi. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.